Watchdata Joins GlobalPlatform

14 December, 2006 – International standards body, GlobalPlatform, announces that e-security solutions provider, Watchdata, has become the latest company to join its expanding member base which aims to develop and promote interoperable specifications for the entire smart card infrastructure.

Watchdata joins the consortium as an Observer Member. In this capacity, Watchdata will be able to closely monitor the discussions and output of all GlobalPlatform technical committees and will join other member organizations by participating in GlobalPlatform’s Advisory Council. The Council proposes work tasks and initiatives for the association and serves as a consultant body to the GlobalPlatform Executive Director and Board of Directors with regard to business and implementation issues.

Li Yong , General Manager of Product Management from Watchdata, comments: “As an e-security solution provider, Watchdata expects to closely cooperate with the GlobalPlatform organization, and believes that our products and services based on GlobalPlatform Specifications will be of great benefit to both our customers and the industry as a whole . ”

Bob Beer, GlobalPlatform Chairman, adds: “I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Watchdata on behalf of GlobalPlatform. As a truly global organization, GlobalPlatform works closely with its members to drive the implementation of its specifications in all geographies of the world. Watchdata’s significant presence in China and the Far East, amongst other markets, will help GlobalPlatform to extend its reach even further into a number of rapidly growing smart card markets. This will enable a wider audience to learn about the benefits of standardization and take advantage of the GlobalPlatform Specifications which are freely available today.”  

-ENDS-

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About Watchdata

Watchdata is headquartered in Beijing, with local subsidiaries and technical support teams in Singapore, Mexico, New York and Munich. Since its establishment in 1994, Watchdata has taken the lead in the provision of security enabling solutions for electronic transactions and data critical e-commerce activities. From mobile phone cards, financial credit cards to national IDs and passports, smart card technology has emerged as a prominent security feature among businesses and governments today. Used to provide enhanced security through multi-layered authentication processes, smart cards can perform cryptographic algorithms to prevent exposing details of an individual when it is used. Not only are smart cards used with confidence by the business community but by consumers as well – confidence in the product is crucial to e-commerce. Watchdata is proud to be at the forefront of security technology and the preferred choice.

With over a decade’s experience working with global companies and governments, Watchdata understands the importance of data security and data integrity. This is why financial institutions have chosen Watchdata’s smart cards for their payment cards and governments rely on Watchdata’s smart card chips to protect information on electronic passports and ID cards.

www.watchdata.com.cn

 About GlobalPlatform

GlobalPlatform is a member driven organization with world-wide cross-industry representation. GlobalPlatform is the leading, international association, focused on establishing and maintaining interoperable specifications for single and multi-application smart cards, acceptance devices and systems infrastructure that deliver benefits to issuers, service providers and technology suppliers.

These specifications are known as the standard for smart card infrastructure, thanks to their balance of technical superiority and business justification.

GlobalPlatform specifications are freely available and have been adopted in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas by many public and private bodies. Currently, there are over 40 GlobalPlatform-based smart card implementations world-wide and approximately 100 million GlobalPlatform smart cards and more than 1 billion GSM implementations worldwide.

GlobalPlatform is an independent, not-for-profit organization and its strategy is defined and prioritized by a Board of Directors. GlobalPlatform is currently chaired by Robert E. Beer, Vice President Business Development, Datacard Group, and vice-chaired by Marc Kekicheff, Vice President Product Technology, Visa International. Didier Begay, Prospective Manager, Corporate Directorate for Security at France Telecom is GlobalPlatform’s Treasurer and Kevin Gillick serves the membership on a full-time basis as its Executive Director.

www.globalplatform.org